Dear Parents: Let's talk APR — GVSU PRSSA – Grand Valley State University Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America

Dear parents,

Congratulations! Your child recently graduated high school and is moving on to the big leagues: college. Let’s be real here, this can be a scary time for both you and your kid. Lots of life-altering decisions need to be made, and it can be an overwhelming time.

As for me, I am wrapping up my collegiate career as a senior pursuing a degree in Advertising & Public Relations (APR). It really is crazy to think that a few years ago, I was a first semester freshman who had zero idea what to do with my life. By some lucky mistake, I stumbled upon the Advertising and Public Relations major. And if your child is fortunate enough, they will too.

Take it from someone who has been actively involved in this program for over 3 years now: this major is different. The APR major encourages creativity and critical thinking. It provides countless opportunities for your child to grow both personally and professionally. It encourages getting your hands dirty and learning by actually DOING.

By becoming an APR student your child will be challenged in the best ways imaginable. They will be exposed to a group of faculty that truly care about their success not only during their time at GVSU, but their success post-graduation. They will learn not only from their professors, but also from their peers around them.

Organizations like GVSU’s Advertising club, Public Relations Student Society of America, and Grand valley’s student-run PR firm GrandPR are all available to encourage students to get involved within their major. This provides different opportunities to network and form connections with peers, faculty and APR professionals. These organizations help students to get a leg up and develop their APR skills outside of the classroom, which they can carry with them into their professional careers.

Advertising and Public Relations is a growing industry within our fast-paced society. This program will help equip your child with the necessary tools they need to become active members in the dreaded “real world.” Within the APR program, our communication, teamwork, and leadership skills are sharpened as we take on new projects and learn new material. We get to develop digital skills including graphic design and social media. We get improving our writing through media relations, copy writing, and get real experience working with actual clients. This major focuses on integrating theory with practice- so we are always learning and we are always doing.

So if your child really is considering declaring Advertising and Public Relations as a major- then congrats, they picked the best one out there!

Chantal Shaw | Vice President of Operations

Chantal Shaw is a senior at Grand Valley State University studying advertising and public relations. She currently serves as the Vice President of Operations for GrandPR, Membership Director of Phi Mu, and is an active member of the GVSU PRSSA chapter. This past summer, she worked as an intern with the PR firm Marx Layne and is currently interning with Gemini Publications in Grand Rapids. Her love of communication and writing led her to PR field, and she hopes to work in a public relations agency upon graduation.